Wilson Chandler Opts Out Of NBA Restart
Nets forward Wilson Chandler has informed the team that he’s opting out of the NBA’s restart for the 2019/20 season, he told ESPN’s Malika Andrews. According to Andrews, Chandler wants to spend more time with his family, including his grandmother (who raised him) and his three children.
“As difficult as it will be to not be with my teammates, the health and well-being of my family has to come first,” Chandler told ESPN. “Thank you to the Nets organization for understanding and supporting me in this decision, and I will be watching and rooting for our team in Orlando.”
The season is set to resume at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida later next month, with Brooklyn’s first game coming against the Magic on July 31. The Nets are already set to play without the likes of Kevin Durant (Achilles rehab), Kyrie Irving (shoulder) and Nicolas Claxton (shoulder) once the season restarts. The team will be able to sign a substitute player to replace Chandler, but not its injured players.
Chandler, a 6’8″ forward, averaged 5.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 21 minutes in 35 games with the Nets this season, mostly providing depth off the bench. In addition to Brooklyn, Chandler has made past NBA stops with the Knicks, Nuggets, Sixers and Clippers. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
Teams are required to submit their final rosters on Wednesday, July 1. Blazers forward Trevor Ariza, Lakers guard Avery Bradley, Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein and Wizards forward Davis Bertans have also opted out of the NBA’s restart to this point.
Western Notes: Green, Sarver, Grizzlies, Jokic
Although the veteran big man struggled throughout most of the season, Warriors coach Steve Kerr expects to see the very best version of Draymond Green next year, recently explaining his thoughts on KNBR’s “Tolbert, Kreuger and Brooks” podcast (hat tip to Sportando).
“I think this year was really frustrating for him offensively, and then as a competitor, it was frustrating for him just losing night after night,” Kerr said. “It’s just too difficult in this league to try to win games when you’re that shorthanded. I think he dealt with the frustration. He definitely boiled over several times, got kicked out. But, overall, I just thought he handled himself well.”
“He made it through, and he is getting a much-needed rest,” Kerr continued. “And I think we’re going to see the very best version of Draymond next year, whenever next season starts. I feel really good about where he’s going to be mentally and physically.”
Green posted averages of 8.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 39% shooting from the floor and 28% shooting from deep this season. By comparison, he averaged 11 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists per contest during Golden State’s last title run in 2017/18, shooting 45% from the floor.
The Warriors dealt with a series of injuries this season, playing without Klay Thompson and losing Stephen Curry to an injury in late October. The team finished with the NBA’s worst record at 15-50 and is among eight clubs that weren’t invited to the league’s restart in Orlando next month.
Here are some other notes out of the Western Conference today:
- Suns owner Robert Sarver wanted to own an NBA franchise in Las Vegas, Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic writes. Sarver, who purchased the Suns in 2004, explained that then-commissioner David Stern pointed him toward Phoenix after Sarver initially expressed interest in Vegas.
- The Grizzlies have hired Austin Spurs assistant Blake Ahearn to their coaching staff, the team announced in a press release. Ahearn is the sixth assistant coach on Memphis’ staff, leaving the Spurs’ minor league affiliate in Austin to accept the position. He’ll participate in various player development efforts with the Grizzlies, including shooting development.
- Mike Singer of the Denver Post examines whether Nikola Jokic‘s sudden weight loss could negatively impact his game. Jokic has slimmed down during quarantine with hopes of getting in better shape and becoming quicker, though his past successes with the Nuggets have come with a wide seven-foot, 280-pound frame.
And-Ones: 2021 Free Agency, Harrison, Poythress, Tyndall
As it stands, preparing for the free-agent class of 2021 is unimaginable for NBA executives, players, coaches and agents alike, David Aldridge and John Hollinger of The Athletic write.
Next summer’s class is notably star-studded compared to year’s past, headlined by the likes of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. In addition, several other players such as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George must decide on their respective player options.
“Before this year, you knew what that crop of ’21 is going to be,” one prominent, unnamed agent told The Athletic. “It’s going to be even more crowded, because you’re going to have a significantly higher number of players (this summer) doing 1+1s (two-year deals with a player option for the second season). … I’m very lucky that I’m not going nuts going into this free agency. It’s going to be a bloodbath. We don’t know what the cap is going to be, but if it stays the same, how many owners are going to go with more than 13 guys?”
In addition to not knowing salary-cap numbers and how COVID-19 will affect player’s decisions in free agency this summer, a clear timetable for when next season will end has yet to be established — and that’s assuming next season will be held under different circumstances.
“We don’t know whether they’re going to play or not,” another prominent agent told The Athletic. “I know everyone’s assuming they’re going to play, but you see all these things going on, people coming back (testing positive) from football, people protesting, I don’t know the effects of all this. … you can’t tell me that if I’m a 65-year-old executive, with a family, that I’m comfortable being in this bubble? Me, it’s just too much unknown. … it probably makes sense for everybody to sign a one-year deal. Even the big free agents like Anthony Davis – sign a one-year deal (this summer) and see what the numbers are for ’21, and sign a contract based off the projections for that.”
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- CSKA Moscow is expressing interest in free agent guard Andrew Harrison, according to basketball reporter Tolis Kotzias (as relayed by Sportando). Harrison, the No. 44 pick in 2015, has made past stops with Memphis, Cleveland and New Orleans, most recently playing for the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
- Free agent big man Alex Poythress is registering interest from Olympiacos, according to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops. Poythress averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds with Galatasaray last season, holding NBA experience with the Sixers, Pacers and Hawks.
- Donnie Tyndall has accepted the position of head coach of Chipola College, according to The Detroit News. Tyndall served this past season as head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive, the G League affiliate of the Pistons.
Central Notes: Bulls, Weaver, Cavaliers
It’s time that the Bulls make a final decision on who will serve as head coach next season, opines Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Chicago recently hired Arturas Karnisovas as executive vice president of basketball operations. The job security of current head coach Jim Boylen, which is uncertain, the decision will ultimately fall in the hands of Karnisovas and his team.
“Coaching in the league is very difficult,” Karnisovas said in a recent Zoom call, according to Cowley. “To make a decision about coaching is really hard. It’s probably the hardest thing for executives. So I look at a lot of aspects. I’ve had numerous conversations.
“Talking to players and coaches, obviously everyone is disappointed with the results last year. They definitely underperformed. . . . [But] in order for me to keep players and coaches accountable, I have to have personal relationships with them. That’s what I need to cultivate.’’
The Bulls finished with the fifth-worst record in the East at 22-43 this season, failing to secure an invite for the NBA’s restart in Orlando next month.
Boylen has elicited mixed feelings from players, staffers, and fans since succeeding Fred Hoiberg as coach in December of 2018. Chicago has failed to make the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, currently sporting a nucleus of Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen and others.
There’s more from the Central Division tonight:
- Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press looks at how new Pistons general manager Troy Weaver could avoid failure by examining some of the franchise’s past mistakes. Weaver, who most recently served as vice president of basketball operations with the Thunder, was hired by Detroit last week. The Pistons accrued just a 20-46 record on the season and have reached the playoffs just twice in the past ten years.
- Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com examines some pressing offseason topics for the Cavaliers, including Kevin Love‘s future and the chances of Tristan Thompson returning in free agency. Cleveland hopes to have Thompson return for a 10th consecutive season, but the 29-year-old is set to enter unrestricted free agency with the team also acquiring star center Andre Drummond ($28.7MM player option) last February.
Wolves Notes: Towns, Season, Rosas
Despite declining to offer specifics, Timberwolves president Gersson Rosas feels optimistic about Karl-Anthony Towns‘ wrist injury, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune writes.
Towns suffered a fractured wrist on Feb. 10 and missed each of the remaining games before the season was suspended indefinitely. Before suffering the injury, he was putting up per-game averages of 26.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
“At the right time we’ll make a formal announcement of where things are at, but to be fair out of respect for Karl and what he’s living through right now, we want to make sure and give him his space and his opportunity to work through things moving forward,” Rosas said. “Big picture, we feel positive about that situation and when the time is right we’ll share more details on the specifics of that.”
Towns’ mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, tragically passed away from coronavirus complications in April. His father also contracted the virus and has since recovered.
Minnesota was one of eight teams that didn’t qualify for the NBA’s restart, owning just a 19-45 record on the season. The team will now shift its focus to next season with hopes of successfully building around the likes of Towns and star teammate D’Angelo Russell going forward.
Here are some other notes out of Minnesota tonight:
- In a separate article for the Star Tribune, Chris Hine examines the T-Wolves’ patience throughout the season before finally pulling the plug and making a blockbuster trade to acquire Russell at the NBA’s trade deadline. “I’m not doing my job if I’m not coming in every day to figure out ways to improve our roster and find the best players we can find,” Rosas said. “I love our group, I like the potential that they have, but to be fair, it’s potential right now, and they’re young players and it’s a young team. So can we do our part to help them become the best players they can be, and can they fit in our organization and in our roster to maximize our vision?”
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic examines the pros and cons of Minnesota being left out of the NBA’s restart plan in Orlando. The team is working to collaborate with the other franchises not playing in Orlando on multiple options, including the possibility of hosting competitive practices together. “Not being able to get that last month-plus was definitely something we wanted in terms of our continuity as we went towards the summer,” head coach Ryan Saunders said. “That’s another reason why this is going to be important for us to be able to get some time together as a group.”
Eastern Notes: Beal, Heat, Raptors, Dolan
Wizards star Bradley Beal is in the midst of a career-best season with the team, one that he’s confident can be sustained when the NBA returns in Orlando later this summer, Fred Katz of The Athletic writes.
Beal, who turns 27 later this month, averaged 30.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game this season. He shot 46% from the floor and 35% from downtown in 57 games, leading a depleted Wizards team throughout the campaign.
“I feel like something else clicked for me,” Beal said of this season, as relayed by Katz. “I honestly changed my way of thinking in the game. Playing the game, I was honestly just more aggressive. I just had the mindset that I’m the best player on the floor, and I’m gonna go showcase that.”
Washington dealt with various injuries this season and played without All-Star point guard John Wall, with Beal emerging as a much-needed leader throughout the year. The team is currently 5.5 games behind the No. 8 seed Magic and six games behind the No. 7 seed Nets for a potential playoff spot.
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra could be facing a difficult roster decision as the team prepares for the league’s restart in Orlando, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes in his latest mailbag. Barring an unforeseen change, Miami must choose 13 active players from its notably deep roster, a decision that could leave veterans such as Udonis Haslem inactive entering the postseason.
- The championship feeling is still lingering for the Raptors, who won their first NBA title one year ago, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. The team still has several key players from its title run, including Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka. Toronto hopes to use that championship experience to their advantage during the resumed season this summer.
- Knicks owner James Dolan‘s image has yet to change under brand consultant Steve Stoute, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Dolan was most recently criticized for a delayed statement on racial injustice problems in America, with the Knicks being the last team in the league to release a statement on the topic.
Hiatus Notes: Howard, Rivers, Green, Beverley
Lakers center Dwight Howard believes the NBA should reconsider its plans of returning next month due to the ongoing racial injustice problems in the United States, claiming that the resumption of a season could prove to be a distraction.
Howard, an eight-time NBA All-Star, issued the following statement on the matter (as relayed by CNN’s Jill Martin):
“I agree with Kyrie [Irving]. Basketball, or entertainment period, isn’t needed at this moment, and will only be a distraction. Sure it might not distract us players, but we have resources at hand [the] majority of our community don’t have. And the smallest distraction for them can start a trickle-down effect that may never stop. Especially with the way the climate is now. I would love nothing more than to win my very first NBA Championship. But the unity of My People would be an even bigger Championship, that’s just to [sic] beautiful to pass up.
“What better time than now for us to be focusing on our families. This is a rare opportunity that, I believe, we as a community should be taking full advantage of. When have we ever had this amount of time to sit and be with our families. This is where our Unity starts. At home! With Family!! European Colonization stripped us of our rich history, and we have yet to sit down and figure us out. The less distractions, the more we can put into action into rediscovering ourselves. Nations come out of families. Black/African American is not a Nation or Nationality. It’s time Our Families became their own Nations. No Basketball till we get things resolved.”
Multiple players (including Irving) agree on the matter, with Irving voicing his concerns during a conference call that included dozens of the league’s players on Friday. Several other players are in disagreement, however, citing financial implications, competitive aspects, and a dire need for sports in such an unprecedented time.
The NBA is still working on finalizing details for the resumed 2019/2020 season, which was suspended indefinitely in March due to COVID-19. The league is currently eyeing a July 30 return date, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Here are some other notes related to the NBA’s hiatus:
- Rockets guard Austin Rivers holds a different opinion than Howard about whether the NBA season should resume, posting his comments in an Instagram reply (as relayed by ESPN). “Us coming back would put money in all of our (NBA players’) pockets,” Rivers said as part of a larger quote. “With this money you could help out even more people and continue to give more importantly your time and energy towards the BLM movement. Which I’m 100% on board with. Because change needs to happen and injustice has been going on too long.”
- Lakers guard Danny Green detailed the different aspects of the NBA’s restart plan in a Q&A with Mark Medina of USA Today. Green touched on a number of subjects, including concerns about the NBA’s “bubble,” player feedback, and his level of optimism on the league’s expected return.
- Clippers guard Patrick Beverley had a rather interesting take on whether the NBA should return, posting the following on social media. “Hoopers say what y’all want. If @KingJames said he hooping. We all hooping. Not Personal only BUSINESS #StayWoke.” Beverley is part of a talented Clippers team seeking its first ever championship this year, with both the Clippers and the Lakers battling for bragging rights in Los Angeles.
Western Notes: Murray, Doncic, Lakers, Fertitta
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is confident the team can win the NBA championship this season, explaining his thoughts to reporters on a Zoom call last week.
“We know we can go win the title,” Murray said, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “Me and Joker (Nikola Jokic) have been in Denver this whole time, working out.
“Why not?” Murray later replied upon being asked whether Denver could win it all. “We have proven to be one the best teams year in and year out since we have been building. We have beaten good teams consistently. We shouldn’t have lost to Portland (last year in the Western Semifinals). That was more on us, our inexperience and they are a good team. But we don’t think that there is a team that can beat us in a seven-game series when we are playing at our best.”
The Nuggets are 43-22 on the season, good for the third-best record in the Western Conference behind the Lakers (49-14) and Clippers (44-20). Murray’s confidence lies in the team’s offensive capabilities, coupled with how Jokic has slimmed down significantly during quarantine.
“If we can just find that consistency and play at a high level,” Murray said of the Nuggets’ biggest issue. “When me and Joker are on, I don’t think there is anybody that is going to stop us. And if they do, then good game.”
Denver has consistently been one of the NBA’s best regular-season teams in recent seasons, though the franchise has failed to achieve playoff success. The Nuggets will be among the 22 teams slated to play in Orlando when the league resumes later this summer.
There’s more from the Western Conference tonight:
- Barring a new setback or injury, Mavericks star Luka Doncic will be healthy for the NBA’s restart, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News writes. Doncic has dealt with a sprained ankle, an illness and various thumb and wrist injuries in 2020. Caplan also examines other Mavs-related notes, including the team’s starting lineup and who could be a potential X-factor in the playoffs.
- The Lakers will be ready to build on their previous hot streak once the NBA returns, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes. Los Angeles was firing on all cylinders before the season was suspended, winning 11 of their its 13 games and holding a 49-14 record. “There will be a lot of focus for the Lakers and all the teams on basketball only, with the family not being there right away,” an official for one NBA team told Turner. “I think that they will be really in-tuned. I think the basketball will be sloppy in the beginning, but it’ll be good as it goes along.”
- Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta discussed a number of subjects in an interview with Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, including his team’s title hopes, the NBA return, and more. Houston is among the 22 teams set to return in Orlando this summer, playing an unprecedented version of small-ball before the season was officially halted.
Atlantic Notes: Siakam, Knicks, Smith, Celtics
The Raptors are hoping their championship experience will assist the team when the NBA resumes play in Orlando later this summer, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes.
Toronto, led by star forward Pascal Siakam, kept much of its 2018/19 championship core intact this season, including Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol. The Raptors’ strong chemistry and veteran presence are two major reasons why they’ve succeeded this season.
“I feel like there’s chemistry there, we’ve been playing for awhile, we’ve been winning championships together, things you don’t really forget,” Siakam said, as relayed by Smith.
The Raptors held the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 46-18 when the NBA suspended its season, trailing the No. 1 seed Bucks by 6.5 games. The team has solidified itself as a legitimate playoff threat despite losing Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green in free agency last summer.
“To be simple and truthful, I just don’t care what people think of the Raptors,” Siakam said. “I think, for us, it’s been a lot of years caring about, ‘Oh, love me too,’ and I think that’s over, man. We are the champions and if you don’t see it, that’s your problem.
“And for us, it’s about us, we’re not worried what other people think, we’re gonna continue to win games and chase championships. That’s the only thing we care about and whoever feels the way they feel, that’s them and has nothing to do with us. We don’t care about perception.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- For the Knicks, hiring Tom Thibodeau as head coach would likely mean the team wouldn’t acquire Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns anytime soon, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. New York reportedly expressed interest in Towns prior to the trade deadline this season, with Berman noting that the relationship between Towns and Thibodeau was strained in their final weeks together during the 2018/19 season.
- Former NBA guard and current NBA on TNT analyst Kenny Smith laughed off a question about coaching for the Knicks in an interview with Steve Serby of the New York Post. “They know where I am,” Smith laughed, addressing a question about whether he would like to interview for New York’s head coaching job. “They know what I could bring to the table in any capacity. There is a head coach there now (interim coach Mike Miller). … I don’t like to talk about guys’ jobs who still have a job.” Smith also offered his thoughts on racial injustice, the NBA’s restart and more in the interview.
- Jared Weiss and John Hollinger of The Athletic examine the future of the Celtics, pondering whether there’s a viable path to the Finals for the franchise this season. Boston contains a strong nucleus of Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and others, holding a 43-21 record on the season.
Southeast Notes: Spoelstra, Beal, Wizards, Hornets
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra refused to comment on which staff members might be termed “essential” versus “non-essential” this week, with the NBA likely to prohibit teams from bringing more than roughly 35 people once the league returns in Orlando, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.
“The only thing I’ll say about that is I don’t want to term anything ‘essential’ or ‘non-essential’ staff,” Spoelstra said. “That’s not fair to any of our staff members. These are extreme circumstances. We will plan and act accordingly when we get to that point.”
The NBA recently announced plans to bring 22 teams to Orlando to restart its 2019/20 season, with games slated to start on July 31 and a 16-team postseason tournament scheduled to commence after eight regular season games.
The league postponed its season indefinitely on March 11, with players just getting back to their respective practice facilities within the past month. Teams are expected to play two or three exhibition games prior to the regular season officially restarting, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
“It will be different,” Spoelstra admitted. “It will not be like a normal end-of-September training camp, where you have your preseason and gear up for the regular season and get prepared for an eight-month marathon. That is physically, mentally and emotionally different than this preparation.
“This will be much more of a sprint prep and you’ll have to fast track. Thankfully, we have a group that had a lot of built-in chemistry and enjoyed playing with each other. A lot of the nuances of our success were not necessarily Xs and Os, it was the ability of the guys to read and react off of each other and bring the best off of each other.”
Here are some other notes out of the Southeast Division:
- Quinton Mayo of NBC Sports Washington explores how Bradley Beal could solidify an all-NBA spot in the restarted season. Beal has enjoyed an impressive campaign to date with the Wizards, averaging a career-high 30.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game in 57 contests.
- The Wizards are set to enter a complicated situation once the league returns from hiatus, Fred Katz of The Athletic explains. In addition to preparing to fight for a playoff spot after a lengthy layoff, the franchise must choose whom to bring to Orlando and address the health of John Wall. As stated previously, the league has recommended that teams should plan on bringing around 35 people (which naturally includes around 15 players), though an exact number has yet to be finalized.
- Sam Perley of Hornets.com explains how resiliency and character defined the Hornets’ 2019/20 season, rather than a simple abrupt ending. Charlotte finished the campaign with a 23-42 record, trailing the eighth-seeded Magic by seven games and the ninth-place Wizards by 1.5 games when the season was suspended.